


Love in the brain

by kittycat_beans



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:48:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25627741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittycat_beans/pseuds/kittycat_beans
Summary: Modern AU in which Abby works odd jobs on top of being a mechanic and Ellie plays music at local bars in a small town called Jackson.
Relationships: Abby/Ellie (The Last of Us)
Kudos: 54





	Love in the brain

**Author's Note:**

> For the m'am, purplesunrise <3

Legs covered by ripped jeans swung back and forth on the old stool, the slight squeaking noise from a loose bolt somewhere being drowned out by the rise in instrumental music playing from the small radio on a table full of mechanical parts and wrenches.

Another turn of the button on that ancient machine and Ellie was sure that thing would probably explode into a bunch of scrap from being unable to play at the volume the woman needed. Ellie noticed that with some intentional squirming around she could make the stool squeak more and everytime she did it, the blonde rotated the volume's button just a bit more and looked over her shoulder with a frown.

Shit's older than my dad, Ellie thought to herself before looking back at the hunched form of her 'far too big for that too small gap' girlfriend. That radio needed a replacement and she would use her next pay-check to give Abby something decent that didn't make music sound like it was being played out of a Transformer's ass. She deserved something nice.

Abby turned the music down and sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow and spreading oil all over her face. "Should be good now. What else did you want me to check?", she took the stained cloth from the pocket in her overrals, trying to clean off most of the black from her fingers and cheeks. It didn't work.

The younger woman laughed and hopped off the stool to cross the room, one hand over the handle on her motorcycle and the other on the loopsided front of Abby's dirty clothes, a playful smile on her face.

"You seen the breaks yet?", she teased.

The mechanic groaned, raising her hand to swipe a dark line over Ellie's cheek. Ellie smacked her hand away, looking into the bike's rearview mirror at the sideways line covering her freckles. She tried to wipe it off but only got her sleeve stained with the oil.

"Simbaaaa...", Abby laughed and took a step closer, her black thumb raised and threatening to leave a spot on her girlfriend's forehead. Ellie crouched and avoided that arm but was caught by the other and Abby's ridiculous strength was keeping her there.

"Don't you fuckin' dare, Abby! I actually have to look like someone who takes showers!", she kicked at the other's boots, not too hard because she didn't want it to hurt, just get the blonde to let go of her.

"Are you implying I don't shower?", Abby huffed.

Ellie took a sniff of Abby's arm and faked a look of disgust; "With that stench? Yeah, I am...", her smaller body was pulled closer, her back hitting the wide and muscular front of the mechanic. Even through those dumb-looking overrals she could feel how the thin t-shirt couldn't cover the hardness of Abby's torso.

"Maybe if you didn't use up all the hot water, maybe I would be able to shower properly…", the blonde was careful not to touch Ellie too much and ruin the nice flannel she was wearing. Ellie on the other hand had no issues turning around and hugging Abby's front.

Placing her chin over the empty pocket at the front, Ellie looked up with a pout. "You comin' to my show later, yeah?", she glanced towards the messy table full of tools and the papers pinned to a corkboard, all reminders of how much work Abby had to finish.

"Of course. You know I wouldn't miss it.", Abby gave a smile, her slightly less oily finger poking Ellie on the nose as the two chuckled. "At six. Maria's joint, yes? I'll shower until then. Promise.", the blonde's smile got wider at the shine on Ellie's eyes, the pure joy of finally performing on a busier place only beat by the fact she would have Abby as part of her audience.

"You better keep your promise this time.", Ellie got on her toes to press a kiss to Abby's lips, squirming out of get grasp to fetch her things. "I'll be seein' you at Maria's place...", she grinned and waved, hopping on her bike and leaving the garage. Abby watched her with a smile, lips turning into a sour pout as she took a look at the corkboard, rubbing at her cheeks.

\-------

Ellie stood just in the kitchen, staring at a glass of juice Maria gave her. She sighed at took a sip but found the taste unbearable. Her stomach was doing flips and she got up, leaning over the sink but there was nothing. Maria sighed, rubbing at her back.

"Never seen ya' this nervous before, hun...", the elder took Ellie by the hand, making her sit closer to the back door to get some freah air from outside.

"Yeah, it's rough. Didn't think it'd be so packed.", she was used to a few people in a room, most of them a bunch of drunks who couldn't care if she played or just smashed her guitar as long as it was fun.

Maria took Ellie by the face and smiled, "They're all here to support ya'. We know you'll do good..."

The pep-talk could have been better but Maria was trying her best and Ellie couldn't be mad at that. She forced a swallow, closing her eyes and practicing the breathing exercises Abby taught her. After a few moments of breathing in and out, she looked up at Maria and gave her a stern nod of the head.

Maria left to get a few things ready. Ellie peeked at the patrons slowly swarming the lounge. She looked at the small stage, the faint lights and tables at the front being picked off by those who arrived first.

She looked and looked but wasn't able to see where Abby was. Ellie could have used a good word from her girlfriend but she didn't have that luxury. Maria was asking for silence, introducing you to the men and women and children that came to see her.

She had to go. She couldn't wait anymore.

Ellie took her guitar and climbed up the stage, her eyes adjusting to the light. She was nervous, looking at all of the heads she could see from up in the tiny platform. She searched for Abby's comforting face again but she wasn't there. She wasn't there. Again.

Ellie grit her teeth, trying not to cuss herself off of the stage. She breathed in and out, looking nowhere in particular. "Jackson! Thanks for coming!", the faint cheering and clinking of glasses made her relax her grip on the microphone. "I have a song for you. You might recognize it...", the first few strums of an old Hank Williams song made the people erupt with a louder cheer, the sound making Ellie stand taller.

She played like a professional, perhaps a bit too much like one. Her heart wasn't in the song. She had issues opening up when once again, Abby had to go and break her promise. Once again, work was more important than watching her play. Once again Ellie felt like she wasn't the best thing Abby had and was so eager to remind her of everytime she could.

Some fuckin' lying bastard you are, Anderson. Ellie slipped into another pitch-perfect song and glanced to the clock above the bar, the two black arrows a reminder that six had ended half an hour ago. Her mind was somewhere between trying to remember as many cords to old country songs that wouldn't lose the crowd's interest and the imaginary fight she was having with that bastard of a mechanic. At one point she considered breaking things off but as the universe had funny ways of working, before she got to finish her song, the bell on the door gave a ring.

Pushing through the crowd, Abby appeared at the front of the stage, mouthing how sorry she was. It was like a switch turned off in Ellie's and all the anger was washed away in a wave of relief. She smiled at the blonde who returned the gesture.

All of a sudden the guitar stopped, the crowd staring at Ellie, confused and asking questions. Ellie shrunk under their gaze, looking towards Abby for support.

"I...I wanted to play something a bit different…", she stuttered into the mic, looking down at her fingers above the strings, moving them in a quiet practice of the song she wanted to play. Maria told the crowd to calm down and listen before making comments.

Abby looked up at Ellie with a soft smile that made Ellie feel like she was back home. Safe in that tiny and old apartment that had the perfect view to absutely nothing of interest, had a window that wouldn't budge open no matter how hard they tried, that had sucked up more money from their already small pockets than it was worth but it was home. It was her's and it was Abby's. It was theirs and that was all that mattered in that moment in the bar.

Her fingers moved with the first few cords, most of the people unable to recognize the song. Ellie moved closer to the mic, her body loose in a way she hadn't felt before. So free, like this was what she should be playing and not those cheesy old country songs.

> Oh, and baby I'm fist fighting with fire

> Just to get close to you

> Can we burn something, babe?

> And I run for miles just to get a taste

> Must be love on the brain

> That's got me feeling this way (feeling this way)

> It beats me black and blue but it fucks me so good

> And I can't get enough

> Must be love on the brain yeah

> And it keeps cursing my name (cursing my name)

> No matter what I do, I'm no good without you

> And I can't get enough

> Must be love on the brain

Her voice was powerful in the way only a song that meant something could,pull that passion out of someone. She closed her eyes to feel the strings making her body vibrate. She opened them to stare at Abby who looked like she was somewhere else where time and space existed for the two of them.

> Baby, keep loving me

> Just love me, yeah

> Just love me

> All you need to do is love me, yeah

> Got me like ah-ah-ah-ow

> I'm tired of being played like a violin

> What do I gotta do to get in your motherfuckin' heart?

> Baby like ah, woo, ah

> Don't you stop loving me (loving me)

> Don't quit loving me (loving me)

> Just start loving me (loving me)

Ellie ended the song with a huff, her heart beating out of her chest. She stared at the crowd, hearing the silence and she almost threw up. Abby started to clap, then Maria and Tommy and soon, the crowd started to cheer, whistling and asking for more.

She looked at Abby with tears on her eyes, setting her guitar down, hopping off the stage to hug her girlfriend. Ellie cried, her brown hair being played with by the blonde while the crowd grew quiet

"You came...", she sobbed.

"I was late...", Abby alologized.

"You still came...", Ellie looked up at Abby, her tears being wiped away by Abby's thumbs. "You were just on time...", Ellie leaned up on her toes, wrapping her arms around the blonde, pressing her lips to Abby's.


End file.
